Oiling apparatus



J. J. WEHLING OILING APPARATUS Filed April 29, 1955 United States Patent O OILING APPARATUS Julius J. W ehling, Lynwood, Caiif.

Application April 29, 1955, Serial No. 504,885

3 Claims. (Cl. 123-196) This invention has to do with an apparatus for oiling .an engine prior to putting the engine into operation and is more particularly concerned with an apparatus applicable to an automotive type internal combustion engine having a pressure lubricating system.

The ordinary or conventional automotive type internal Vcombustion engine, has an oiling means or system to oil the various moving and Wearing parts thereof. It is common practice to provide such engines with a pressure lubricating system, which system distributes oil, under pressure, to the various running and wearing parts of 4the engine when the engine is running or is in operation. Heretofore, the lubricating and oiling systems in engines have not functioned, or lubricated the engines, until several `seconds after the engines have been put into operation, and until the lubricating systems have had enough time to develop the required pressure to function properly. As the result of the above, the various running parts of the ordinary engine are not lubricated When .the engine is being turned over for starting and the engine is consequently hard to turn over and the various running parts thereof, being unlubricated, are subjected to ,severe wear.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus applicable to an engine that will distribute oil, under pressure, into the engine and lubricate the running parts thereof before the engine is started or put into operation.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a structure of the character described having an oil reservoir or accumulator in communication with the lubricating lsystem of an engine and adapted to deliver oil, under pressure, into the said system prior to starting the engine.

`It ,is a further object of the present invention to provide an apparatus of the character referred to in which the oil reservoir or accumulator is charged and put in condition for operation by the engine, when the engine is in operation.

A 'further object of the invention is to provide an lapparatus of the character described which is actuated or put into operation by electrically operated means related to the electric starting circuit for the engine.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus applicable to an internal combustion engine that Amakes the engine easier to turn over and start and which materially reduces engine wear and an apparatus which is easy to manufacture and install and Which is inexpensive.

The various olrjects and features of my invention will be fully understood from the following detailed description of a typical preferred form and application of my invention, throughout which description reference is made to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. l is a perspective View of a portion of a typical automotive type internal combustion engine and showing a portion of the apparatus, provided by the present invention, applied thereto.

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic view of my apparatus and of the lubricating Yand the electrical systems of the engine illustrated in Fig. l.

The present invention has to do With an apparatus :applicable to an engine to lubricate the engine, that is, urge oil, under pressure to the various running parts of the engine prior to putting the engine into operation.

For the purpose of illustration, I have shown my apparatus applied to a conventional automotive type internal combustion engine A, which engine is shown as including a cylinder block B adapted to carry the various running 'parts of the engine, a head C secured to and closing the top of the cylinder block, an oil pan D secured to the bottom of the block and adapted to maintain a body of -lubricating oil for the engine, and a lubricating, or loiling, system E adapted to lubricate the various running parts of the engine when the engine is in operation.

The lubricating Lsystem E that -I provide is shown -as including, a main oil line 10 in the engine block B, an oil pump P carried by the block and in communication with the oil line 10, and a `draft tube 3.1 connected with the pump P and extending into the pan D of the engine to terminate in the oil therein, and adapted to direct the `oil into the pump when the engine is in operation.

The main oil line 10 of the lubricating system E .eX- tends longitudinally of the block B and is .adapted to receive oil, under pressure, from the pump P. Suitable laterally projecting distributing ducts 12 are provided along the main oil line 10, to receive oil from the .line and direct it to the various 4running and/or Wearing parts of the engine.

The oil pump P is driven by the engine A and is adapted Vto draw oil from the pan D, through the draft tube 11 and deliver it, under pressure, into the main` oil line 10 ofthe engine. In the particular case illustrated, the oil pump P is shown and indicated as a conventional .automotive gear type oil pump. The pump P is shown as being secured to the exterior of the engine block B, adjacent `the main oil line 10 therein, and in open `communication therewith. A suitable, conventional, drive (not shown) is provided for the oil pump P and may include a suitable drive shaft projecting from .the pump into the block B of the engine, to terminate adjacent the engine crankshaft, a Worm gear on the terminal end ofthe shaft, and a pinion gear on the engine crankshaft and engaging and driving the Worm.

It is to be understood that the particular lubricating system E illustrated and described above is only typical of one particular relationship of parts that is frequently employed in automotive type engines, and that, in practice, the particular relationship of parts for such lubricating systems can vary Widely as circumstances require.

it is common practice to provide one or more access ports in the main oil iines of engine oiling systems of the class herein referred to. The access ports in the main oil vlines of engines are provided to facilitate application or connection of oil filtering and/or oil pressure indieating means to the engines. in the particular case illustrated, I have shown a suitable access port 13 in the main oil line li) of the engine A, and a suitable oil pressure indicating means F illustrated diagrammatically in Fig. 2 of the drawings, is related to the ignition system of the engine and with the oiling apparatus that I provide, and will be more fully described hereinafter.

The apparatus provided by the present invention includes, generally, an oil accumulator G adapted to maintain a body of oil, charging means H adapted to deliver oil into the accumulator, actuating means I adapted 'to control the ilow of oil from the accumulator into the oiling system E of the engine A, and control means J for the actuating means I.

In the form `of the invention illustrated, the accumulator G is shown as a simple, elongate vertically disposed tank .or vessel with a single iiow port 14 at its bottom end adapted to permit flow of oil into and out of the vessel. The accumulator G is connected with the main oil line 1i) of the engine A, to receive oil, under pressure therefrom, when the engine is in operation, maintain the oil, under pressure, when the engine is idle, and deliver or return the oil, under pressure into the main loil line of the engine prior to putting the engine back into operation.

In the particular form of the invention illustrated, the accumulator G is shown secured to the block B of the engine A by means of a suitable mounting bracket and is connected to the engine oiling system E by means of a suitable flow duct 16, whichduct is connected with and'extends between the ow port 14 at the bottom of the accumulator and the access port 13 provided in the main oil line 10 of the engine. f The actuating means I adapted to control the ow of oil from the accumulator G to the engine oiling system E includes, la Viiow control valve 17 in the flow duct 16 and an orice'tting 18 in the ow duct 16-and arranged in thefduct between the valve 17 and the engine oiling system E. The control valve 17 is normally closed and prevents oil within the accumulator G from flowing through the ow duct 16 and into the engine oiling system E. When the control valve 17 is open, the oil Within the accumulator G is free to ow from the accumulator through the duct 16 and into the engine oiling system E. The control valve 17 is shown as being provided with Va solenoid operator 19 which operator is adapted to be energized to open the valve by the control means I, in a manner that will hereinafter be described.

The oriice fitting 13 is 'adapted to control the rate at which the oil leaves the accumulator G and enters the oilingrsystem E, when the apparatus is put into operation. It Will be apparent that, in practice, the orifice fitting 18 can vary widely in form and construction and could, if

desired, be in the form of a pressure regulator valve.,- p

Yoil from the engine into the accumulator G includes a charging line 20 establishing communication between the engine oiling system E and the accumulator G, and a check valve 21 in the charging line and adapted to permit ow of oil through the line into the accumulator and to -check flow of oil back through that line, from the accumulator..

In the particular case illustrated, I have shown the iow duct 16 provided with T-littings 22 and 23 adapted I to contact with the charging line 2t) of the charging means VH.V The fittings 22 and 23 are arranged in the ilow duct 16 .to occur at opposite sides of the control valve 17 and orifice fitting 18 so that the charging line 2t), is in effect,

a simple oy-pass line around the actuating means I. With the structure thus far described, it will be apparent that when the engine A is in operation, a portion A of the oil being pumped into the main oil line 10 by the lfpurnp P, `will flow through the access port 13 and into the ilow duct 16, whereupon it Will by-pass the actuating vmeans I'and flow through the charging line 20, past the ,check valve 21 and into the accumulator G. It will also 'be apparent that as the oil is delivered, under pressure, into the accumulator G, the air or gas in the accumulator is compressed and normally tends to force the oil back, out of the accumulator. When the engine is stopped the Vcheck valve 21 of the charging means and the control -valve 17 of the actuating means, stop or check the flow of oil from the accumulator G into the oiling system E, with the result that a charge or body of oil is maintained, under pressure, in the accumulator. When it is desired to start the engine again, the control valve 18 is opened by energization of the solenoid Yoperator 19 through the control means I, and the charge of oil within the accumulator G is permitted to flow through the ow duct 16, under control of the orifice fitting 18 and into the main oil line 16 of the engine oiling system, Where it is distributed and lubricates the various running parts of the engine.

Oiling systems of the general character referred to ordinarily develop and function at pressures in excess of thirty pounds. Many of the present day automotive type of engines have oiling systems which develop as much as eighty pounds. As a result of the above, it will be apparent that the oil is delivered into the accumulator G can and is maintained at considerable pressure.

The control means I provided by the present invention is adapted to connect the apparatus to the electrical system of the engine which is shown as including both an ignition and a starting circuit. The apparatus is related to the electrical system so that when the ignition and starting circuits are initially put into operation to start the engine, the oiling apparatus that I provide is actuated or put into operation. A

In the particular case illustrated, the electrical system, that is, the ignition and starting circuit for the engine A is shown as including, a starter motor S, a battery 24, a power line 25 from the battery to the starter motor, a starter relay or solenoid switch 26 in the power line 25 and controlling flow of current from the batteryy to motor, an ignition line 27 from the battery to coil and distributor (not shown) of the ignition system, a suitable ignition switch 28 in the ignition line, a starter line 29 from the ignition switch to the starter solenoid switch and under control of the ignition switch, and a starter switch 36 in the starter line and controlling flow of current to the starter solenoid.

The starter solenoid switch 26, ignition switch 28 and starter switches 30 are normally open. To start the engine, the ignition switch 2S is initially closed, whereupon the starter switch 3i) is closed, thereby energizing and closing the starter solenoid switch 26 in the power line 25 and permitting ow of current from the battery 24 to the starter motor S. The starter relay switch 26, starter motor S and the battery 24 are shown grounded at 31, 32, and 33, respectively.

The control means I of the present invention includes a relay switch 34 with an energizing coil 34 and arranged in the starter line 29, a line 35 from the relay switch 34 to the solenoid operator 19, on the ow control valve 17, and delivering current to the operator, a primary ground line 36, ground lines 37 and 38 connecting the coil 34' of the relay 34 and operator 19 to the primary ground line 36, a first pressure responsive switch 39 in the primary ground line 36 and responsive to pressure in the accumulator G, and a second pressure responsive switch 4t) in the primary ground line 36 and responsive to pressure in the main oil line 10 of the engine A.

The energizing coil 34 of the relay switch 34 is connected to the starter line 29 ahead of the relay and is under control of the starter switch 30. When the e11- ergizing coil 34' of the relay switch 34 is not energized, the circuit from the battery to the starter solenoid is closed. When the energizing coil34 o the relay switch 34 is energized, the circuit from the battery to the starter solenoid is broken and the circuit from the battery to the operator 19, for the ow control valve 17, is closed.

rThe irst pressure responsive switch 39 is shown arranged in the ow duct 16 intermediate the accumulator G and the charging and actuating means H and VI. The switch 39 is such that when the oil pressure in the accumulator G drops below a predetermined pressure, for example, ten pounds, the switch opens, and the ground for the solenoid operator 19 and the energizing coil 34 of the relay switch 34 is broken.

The second pressure responsive switch 40 is shown arranged in the flow duct 16 intermediate the main oil line 1t) and the charging -and actuating .means H and I. The switch 49 is such that when the oil pressure in the oil line 19 raises to a predetermined pressure, for example, ten pounds, the switch opens and the ground for the solenoid operator 19 and the energizing coil y34' of the relay switch 34 is broken.

From the foregoing, it will be apparent that when the accumulator G is charged 'and the ignition and starter switches are closed, the coil 34 of ythe relay switch 34 is energized, with the result that the circuit from the battery -to the solenoid operator i9 is closed andthe operator 19 is energized, opening the flow-control valve 17 and permitting the oil in the accumulator G to ow through the iiow duct 16 and .into the main oil line of the engine A.

It will also be apparent that as soon as the pressure in the accumulator G drops to ten pounds, or less, and/or the pressure in the main oil line It) raises to ten pounds or more, one or both of the pressure responsive switches 39 Vand 4i) in the primary ground line 3'6, will open, with the result that the ground 'to the solenoid operator L19 and the energizing coil 34 of the relay switch 34 is broken and the operator and relay will become de-energized, the control valve 17 will close and the circuit from the battery to the solenoid starter switch will close, thereby energizing and closing the starter solenoid switch 26, and starting the engine.

In the particular case illustrated, the ignition switch A28 is indicated as a key controlled switch and the starter switch 39 is indicated as a manually operatedpush-button switch, such as is commonly employed in the automotive art.

In practice, when it Ais desired to start the engine and put my vapparatus into operation, the ignition switch must be initially closed, whereupon the starter switch 30 is manually closed. The starter switch 3i) must be held closed until vthe voiling apparatus. that I provide has 'functioned and the engine 'has been turned over 'and started, whereupon the switch 3i) can be released and opened.

It will be apparent that when the starter switch 30 is closed, the startinU system of the engine is not energized or put into operation until the oiling apparatus has functioned. In practice, I have found that a period of about three or four seconds is required to complete the operation of my oiling apparatus, and until the starting system of the engine is actuated, or put into operation.

The second pressure responsive switch 40 in the primary ground line 36, and under control of the oil pressure in the main oil line 1Q of the engine G, is set to close at a pressure considerably below the normal operating pressure of the engine oiling system E, so that if the engine should stop or stall, and the starter switch is immediately pressed and closed, or closed before the oil pressure in the oiling system E has been permitted to drop too far, the starting system for the engine will go into immediate operation, since the ground to the energizing coil 34 of the relay switch 34 will not be made.

The signalling system F referred to above, is adapted to give a suitable signal when the oil pressure in the `engine is below a predetermined amount. In the particular case illustrated, I have shown the signalling system F as including an electric light 41, a power line 42 extending between and connected with the ignition line and the light, and a ground line 43 from the light to the second pressure responsive switch 40 and under control thereof.

With the above relationship of parts, it will be seen that after the ignition switch 28 is closed and until the pressure switch 41) is opened the light 49 will be on, or burn and that as soon as the oil pressure in the oiling system raises to a predetermined amount and the switch 40 opens, the light 41 will go out.

It is to be noted that the signalling system F, that is the light 40, power and ground lines 42 and 43, and the pressure responsive switch 40, are standard equipment on most automotive type engines, with Vthe result that when the oiling apparatus or structure that I provide is 'applied to an engine having such a signalling system, it need not include or provide a new, second pressure responsive switch 46, but can be connected with and cooperatively related Vto the existing switch of the signalling system. v

VIn practice, and under certain circumstances, the second pressure responsive switch 40 can `be omitted 'from .the operating means J that I provide, without materially aifecting the operation of the apparatus, except for the .fact that each time the engine is put into operation, the

starting system will not function until .the pressure in the accumulator G drops to a .predetermined ,pressure and the first pressure responsive switch 39 in the primary `ground line 36 is opened, regardless of any existing ,pressure in the engine oiling system E.

In Fig. yl of the drawings, I have shown vmy apparatus as including valves and switches of particular design and conguration and as including various elbow fiittings, T-tittings, nipples and the like, but .in view of -the fact that the particular design or configuration of .the .abovementioned elements and the manner and vmeans employed to connect them and establish Vthe instant structure, can vary widely in form and construction, detailed description thereof has 4been omitted.

Having described only a typical preferred form and application of my invention, I do not wish to be limited or restricted to the specific details herein set forth, but wish to reserve to myself any variationsor modifications that may appear to those skilledin the 'art and .fall within the scope of the following claims:

Having described my invention, I claim:

l. In combination, an internal combustion engine, a pressure oiling system 'for the 'engine and including, Va main oil line adapted to 'deliver "oil'to the running parts ofthe engine and an -oil pump driven iby `the engine and adapted 'to -deliver -oil finto 4the Amain oil line under pressure, an electrical starting system for the engine including, a starter motor, a battery, a power line from the battery to the starter motor, a starter relay switch in the power line, a starter line from the battery to the starter relay, and a starter switch in the starter line and controlling ow of current to the relay, an oiling apparatus adapted to deliver oil under pressure into the main oil line of the oiling system before the engine is put into operation and including, an oil accumulator, a ow duct between the main oil line andthe accumulator, a normally closed control valve in the iiow duct and adapted to be opened prior to starting the engine to oil the engine, charging means for the accumulator including, a charging line between the main oil line and the accumulator and adapted to conduct oil from the main oil line into the accumulator when the engine is in operation, and a check valve in the charging line adapted to check flow of oil from the accumulator through the charging line and into the main oil line, and control means related to the starting system and adapted to open the control valve in the flow line including, a solenoid operator on the control valve, a relay switch in the starter line and under control of the starter switch, a line from the relay switch to the operator, a ground line connected with the relay and the operator, and a pressure responsive switch in the ground line and related to the accumulator and adapted to open when the pressure in the accumulator drops to a predetermined pressure.

2. In combination, an internal combustion engine, a pressure oiling system for the engine and including, a main oil line adapted to deliver oil to the running parts of the engine and an oil pump driven by the engine and adapted to deliver oil into the main oil line under pressure, an electrical starting system for the engine including, a starter motor, a battery, a power line from the battery to the starter motor, a starter solenoid switch in the power line, a starter line from the battery to the starter solenoid switch, and a starter switch in the vstarter line land controlling ow current to the starter solenoid switch, an oiling apparatus adapted to deliver oil under pressure into the main oil line of the oiling `system before the engine is put into operation and including, an oil accumulator, a flow duct between the `main oil line and the accumulator, a normally closed control valve in the flow duct and adapted to be Opened prior to starting the engine to oil the engine, an orifice tting in the flow line between the control valve and the main oil line Vand controlling the rate of flow of oil from the accumulator to the main oil line when the control valve is open, charging means for the accumulator including, a charging line between the main oil line and the accumulator-and adapted to conduct oilfrom the main oil line into the accumulator when the engine is in operation, and a check' valve in the charging line adapted to Vcheck flow of oil from the accumulator through the charging line and into the main oil line, and control ',means related to the starting system and adapted to open the control valve in the flow line including, a solenoid operator on the control valve, a relay switch in the starter'line and under control of the starter switch, a line from the relay switch to the operator, a ground line con- I'nected with the operator and the relay, and a pressure 'the engine and an oil pump driven by the engine and adapted to deliver oil into the main oil line under pressure, an electrical starting system for the engine including, a starter motor, a battery, a power line from the battery to the starter motor, a starter solenoid switch in the power line, a starter line from the battery to the starter solenoid switch, and a starter switch in the starter line and controlling ow of current to the starter solenoid switch, an oiling apparatus adapted to deliver oil under pressure into the main oil line of the oiling system before the engine is put into operation and including, an oil ac-V cumulator, a flow duct between the main oil line and the accumulator, a normally closed control valve in the ow duct and adapted to be opened prior to starting the engine to oil the engine, charging means for the accumulator including, a charging line between the main oil line and the accumulator and adapted to conduct oil from the main oil line into the accumulator when the engine is in operation, and a check valve in the charging line adapted to check ow of oil from the accumulator through the charging line and into the main oil line, and control means related to the starting system and adapted to open the control valve and maintain the starting system unactuated until the engine is oiled including, a solenoid operator on the control valve, a relay switch on the starter line and under control ofthe starter switch, said relay switch being arranged between the starter switch and the starter solenoid switch and closing Vthe starter circuit when not energized, a line from the relay switch to the operator and adapted to conduct current to the operator when the relay switch is energized and closed, a ground line connected with the relay switch and the operator, and a iirst pressure responsive switch in the ground line, a second pressure responsive switch in the ground line, said first pressure responsive switch being related to the accumulator and adapted to open when the pressure in the accumulator drops to a predetermined pressure, the said second pressure responsive switch being related to the engine oiling system and adapted to open when the pressure in the system raises to a predetermined pressure.

Moller Mar. 17, 1936 Paulsen Feb. 24, 1942 tif" 

